Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 809

"I... I'm not unhappy about it... it's just... so sudden, I can hardly believe it..." Good things like this never happened to people like him.

Mamie grinned. "So, does that mean you're saying yes?"

Carlson hesitated, still in disbelief. "Are you sure this is really okay?"

Roseanne nodded. "Absolutely. As soon as Professor Payne read about what happened to you online, she contacted me right away. She even flew back from abroad just for you."

Madeleine Payne's exact words had been: Carlson's had it tough. I want to give him a hand.

Carlson's eyes shimmered with tears. "...I'd be honored. Thank you, Ms. Payne." "Tomorrow afternoon, she's invited you over to her house for dinner."

Carlson looked panicked. "Is that... really all right?"

Edna had invited him out to eat before, but always to some restaurant. There had been a few times she'd asked him to her place, but only to help carry packages or clean the house. It wasn't until he started publishing papers that Edna had stopped giving him odd jobs to do.

Mamie looked at him, amused. "Why wouldn't it be all right? Caley and I have been to her place plenty of times. Her housekeeper cooks the most amazing food -wait till you try her roast pork and her fried chicken... honestly, you'll understand after you've tasted it."

a soft,

working on your current project finish your thesis first. The most important thing is to make sure you graduate in June. After that, if you're interested in staying on for your doctorate, you can

any more grad students, she's making an exception for you. You'll transfer to her group, and if you decide to

work instead, she'll support that, too.

every possible path for Carlson and was making

you, Professor. Really. Thank you so much." His voice

get everything out at once. "I spent a few days reading through both your published papers and the ones Edna plagiarized.4 realized something I have too admit-"

Carlson blinked. "What?"

"You're incredibly talented."

In just two or three years, he'd learned enough to publish on his own, create

Panet

something out of a legend: someone mastering swordsmanship from a tattered book bought at a flea market, and somehow

rare talent. Left to fend for himself under Edna, he'd somehow managed to thrive

hard work sets the

as if he was wondering why Roseanne was telling him